Coffee Shop Boy
by skelleeton
Summary: Rachel reconnects with Sam after bumping into him in a New York coffee shop. Future-Fic. Wrote this for my bff.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own glee or any of it's characters**

**I wrote this for my best friend who ships samchel hardcore. Not my fave couple, but they are cute ;)**

**Enjoy x**

* * *

I need coffee.

Dance with Ms July has been extremely strenuating recently, and she seems to be in a very sour mood with me over the events between Brody, her, and myself. I had a paper for scriptwriting class due in today and was up until 3am perfecting it, as I dislike turning things in that are below par. This, of course, threw off my usually perfect sleeping schedule, and I have been suffering as a result of it. Funds have been running low, and so Santana and I had to pick up extra shifts at the _Spotlight_ diner, and today is the first day in weeks that I have had enough change in my pockets to splurge on a beverage.

Kurt directed me towards a small cafe off the main street, telling me the coffee was simply 'to die for'.

The entrance to the cafe is below street level, so I have to climb down a few worn concrete steps to get in. The sweet aroma of freshly ground immediately assaults my senses, and already begins the gruelly pick me up process.

There is a small queue of 3 or so people already waiting by the till, so I quietly slip to the back and pull out my phone.

'**Kurt, I have reached the coffee shop, would you like a beverage? - R'**

His response is almost instantaneous;

'**Blaine and I are out already. Dont bother.'** Nodding to myself, i place my phone back in my bag, and step forward with the person in front of me. I have almost reached the till, now, and I glance up at the board to reaffirm if they make my favourite drink or not.

"Next." A soft voice calls from in front of me, and look up to meet the eyes of the barrista. The _very familiar_ eyes of the barrista.

"Sam?" I question. He seems surprised by the use of his name, and glances up from the till to meet my awaiting gaze.

"Rach?" I nod. "Rachel! Hi! What are you doing here?" He smiles broadly, then falters slightly and glances at the clock. "Listen, I get off in half an hour, do you mind waiting for me so that we can catch up properly and you can tell me exactly what brings you to this shabby cafe?"

"Sure, I've got some time." He smiles again. "It's really great to see you again, Sam."

"So, what can I get you, Broadway?" He asks, winking conspirationaly. I blush slightly and glance at my feet before looking back up to meet his eyes, that were sparkling with mirth.

"Chai Latte thanks, Mr. August." I reply casually. He groans, a slight pink tinge colouring his cheeks.

"You saw that?" I laugh at how awkward he's being.

"Yeah, Blaine brought us one a couple of weeks after you made it." His blush isn't disappearing. "It's on our wall back at the loft."

"Our?" He questions, suddenly tense.

"Yeah." I reply slowly. "Kurt, Santana and I room together, it's cheaper."

"Kurt." He laughs gently. "Right, I forgot about that." I giggle. "So, Chai Latte for little miss Broadway, coming right up!" With another wink he retreats behind the large coffee machine placed on the desk and begins to prepare my drink.

I swivel and walk to a small booth in the corner, pulling out some of my notes from class today, figuring I could begin to neaten them up for study later.

A few minutes later, I see a shadow pass over my work and I glance up to meet Sam's gaze once more. He places a sweet smelling, steaming mug in front of me.

"One Chai Latte for Broadway."

"Thanks" I say, smiling to show my gratitude.

"You know I don't usually deliver." He replies, flirtily.

"Only for me?"

"Well up and coming celebrities like you need quirky little anecdotes like this for you memoirs, right? Think I can feature in a chapter?"

"Right, and what would I call you, Sam?" I ask, playing along.

"How about 'Super hot blonde coffee shop boy with abs that could cut steel'?" I giggle and he smirks at me. "Or just 'Coffee Shop Boy' for short?"

"You don't think I should call you Sam?"

"Um." He laughs again. "I guess there's always that. I really like the 'abs that could cut steel part', though."

"Well I will be sure to mention that then, Sam." He grins then straightens.

"You get back to whatever it is you were doing, I'll be done in a few." He returns to the till, stopping by a couple of tables to collect empty mugs left by other customers.

* * *

I hear a slight squeak from across the table, and look up to see Sam settling in across the booth from me. His legs are long, and his knees gently brush against mine as he shuffles around on the brown seat.

"Wow, these seats are a lot less comfortable than they look." I laugh, and he smiles again, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "So, whatcha doing, Broadway?"

"Just notes from class today."

"Ahh, form the illusive NYADA. How's it going in the school of your dreams?"

"It's perfect." I reply happily, then I from slightly, adding. "But it's hard."

"Why is it hard, Rach?"

"It's just, back in Lima I was really something. I was good, and people didn't really compare to me, but since I've gotten here, I have been surrounding by people so much more talented than I am, and it's hard to stay motivated." I sigh.

"That can't be true!" he exclaims. "You're _the_ Rachel Berry. Rachel _Barbra_ Berry. You're destined for Broadway, this is where you belong. You're the very best of the best."

"Thanks, Sam." I don't understand where this is coming from."So what brings _you_ to New York?"

"I'm studying at NYU."

"Oh, that's great! NYU is a great school. What are you studying there?"

"Um, psychology."

"Why psychology?" I ask, curious.

"It's like, people studying, and that's always been really interesting to me. It means I can help people and learn about why people do stuff, Ms Pillsbury recommended it for me, and so far it's been great!" He rambles, clearly quite passionate about the subject.

"That sounds really fun, Sam. I'm glad you're enjoying yourself." I glance at my phone. "I really should be going now, but it was lovely to catch up again." I gently begin to shuffle my papers together, and he reaches out to help me.

"Hey, Rach?" I hum to acknowledge the question. "Do you mind giving me your number, so that we can meet up again or something, you know, if you want...?"

"Sure, that would be fine, pass me your phone." He looks surprised for a moment.

"My phone? Oh, right. My phone. To put your number in, of course. Why else would you want my phone?" I giggle at his ramblings. It's kind of cute how nervous he gets. He retrieves his phone from his pocket and passes it to me. I save my number under 'Rachel Berry' and quickly send myself a text so that I have his number too.

"Here." I hand him his phone back and reach for my bag. Shouldering it, I nod to him and say. "It really was great to see you again Sam. Bye."

"Bye Broadway." He replies, smiling. I pull my coat around me, and leave the warmth of the cafe, entering the cold, bustling streets of New York.

* * *

"What's got you smiling like a donkey on helium, short stack?" Santana fires at me as I enter the loft. I laugh softly at her insult.

"Hello to you too Santana. How're you?" She grumbles at my response.

"Fine. Now tell me, Berry, why are you so happy? I don't like it." I stick my tongue out at her and waltz past and into the kitchen. "Rachel." She growls.

"Honey I'm home!" Kurt calls as he slides into the loft. He quickly enters the kitchen carrying bags of take out, and places them on the table. "Thai?" Santana lunges for the nearest bag and rips it open before roughly putting back on the counter.

"Vegan crap for Berry." I reach for it and pull out the containers of food. "Oh yeah, Kurt."

"Hmm?"

"Don't you think short stack looks jolly?"

"Oh yeah, Rach! You went to the cafe. It's amazing isn't it?" He asks, beaming at me.

"Yeah the coffee was perfect. Hey, did you know?" I decide to probe to see if he knew of Sams job at the cafe.

"Know what?"

"Sam works at the cafe, he's a barista."

At this moment a couple of things happen. Firstly, Santana bursts into a hysterical coughing fit, her whole body shaking violently as she grips the counter with her fists, and secondly, Kurt looks very confused for a second, before and odd, cat-like grin spreads across his face. Santana soon calms down and then raises her hand to point accusingly at me.

"So he's what's got you grinning like a stoned teenager?" Now it's my turn to splutter.

"What- I- It was nice to see him, that's all."

"I think you like him." She states.

"I do not." I reply, seriously. "I just got out of- I mean, after, you know, I'm not really ready for a relationship. We just chatted. It was- _is _- purely platonic." Santana seems as though she is about to argue with me, but Kurt calmly steps forwards and speaks before she has the chance.

"Santana, if she says it's nothing, then it's nothing." He turns to face me. "That being said, please tell me you at least got his number, I haven't seen Sam since graduation, it would be nice to see him again." I nod. "Good. Well then, let's eat and then I can tell you both how romantic Blaine has been today and watch as you both turn green with envy!" He exclaims happily, pulling a container of food out of one of the bags and settling down on a stool.

I pause to think of what I told them. It's true that I just got out of a relationship, and that I'm not looking for anything with Sam, I didn't lie.

Sam never showed interest in me anyway, we're just friends.

Yeah, _friends_.

* * *

"Hey Broadway." Sam called out as I stepped into the near deserted cafe. "You want the usual?" He asked as I approached the till. I nod and murmur a quick thanks, making him smile widely at me. "Okay, you go sit and do whatever work you've brought, and I'll bring it over when it's ready." I smile politely to him and turn towards my usual booth.

It had been a week since I reconnected with Sam again, and I had been coming to the small cafe almost everyday after class to grab a coffee and go over my notes. We had settled into a rhythm of sorts; I would come in, order my drink, and then sit at the back of the cafe, and he would join me at the end of his shift.

We had short conversations with each other; I would vent to him about Ms July's atrocious behaviour, and he would update me with his classes or stories from his senior year at McKinley.

"Chai Latte for Broadway." I look up as Sam slides a mug in front of me, smiling broadly as is customary for him.

"Thanks Sam." I smile warmly at him. The bell at the door rings, and he whirls around, returning to his place at the till. I watch him as he retreats behind the counter, smiling brightly at the customer. I feel a slight twinge in my stomach when I see him interact with the woman, but I push it down and return to my notes.

After his shift is over, Sam approaches my table and slides into his normal seat, across from me. I look up to meet his eyes, and see him pushing another mug of coffee towards me.

"Figured you could use another one since it looks like you have a lot of work to do."

"Sam, I can't-" I begin, but he interrupts me.

"Rach, I've already payed for it, okay? Just drink it." I glance at the cup. "Think of it as a thank you for keeping me company in this dead-end job." He continues, smiling encouragingly. "Please?" He just his lower lip out, pouting, and that's when I give in.

"Fine."

"Don't act like you don't want to, I know you love my coffee." He says, winking. I throw my hands up, sighing dramatically.

"You got me." I take a large gulp of the coffee, savouring it. "How do you make it so tasty? It's like heaven in a mug!" He laughs and I take another large swig of coffee.

"So Rach, I was thinking we could go Central Park on the weekend, maybe we could hang out outside of this little cafe...?" Kurts words from earlier in the week spring to mind.

"I could do you one better." I reply. "Kurt's been bugging me about seeing you again, so you could come over on Saturday to our loft, and we could have a movie night or something?" He sighs slightly, before smiling at me softly.

"Sure thing, Rach."

"Great! I'll text you my address and you can come over at around 6. We'll have food, so don't worry about that." I quickly shuffle all of my papers together and put them inside my bag. "Oh, Kurt's going to be so excited! I have to go and alert him, we'll have to clean up." I jump to my feet, shouldering my bag. "I'll see you tomorrow, Sam, at 6 o'clock sharp!"

I smile broadly at him, before rushing to the door.

"See ya, Broadway." I hear him sigh as I breeze out of the small cafe and onto the bustling streets.

Saturday is going to be interesting.

* * *

I hear a sharp tap on the door and move from the kitchen to allow them in. I pull the door back, revealing Sam holding a bouquet of yellow flowers and a bottle of red wine. He's wearing a crisp white button down shirt, sleeves rolled to his elbows, and some dark jeans. A grey scarf is tied around his neck, and his blonde hair is hidden beneath a dark beanie.

"Sam, hi." I look down at my watch, it's ten minutes to 6. "You're early." He smiles nervously, shifting from foot to foot.

"I remember punctuality being important to you, so I didn't want to be late."

"You remember that?" I'm surprised.

"You're a hard person to forget." I feel my face heat up, blushing, and I look down at the floor. "Here, these are for you." I look up, and he hands me the flowers.

"Thanks Sam." I realise that he is still standing in the hallway. "I'm sorry, I'm being rude. Come on in, the pasta is cooking." I pause, looking at him as he passes me. "You like pasta, right?"

"Pasta will be delicious." He confirms. He looks around the loft, smiling at the decorations.

"It's not much, but it's home." I shrug as I close the door.

"I thinks it's perfect." I smile. "It feels really homely, ya' know?"

"Yeah, I understand." I walk through into the kitchen, and fill up a vase with water, placing the flowers in it. "Kurt!" I call, placing the vase on the counter, and reaching over the stove to stir the pasta. "Kurt's been teaching me how to cook."

"She still burns toast, though." Kurt says as he enters the kitchen. "Sam, it's great to see you again."

"You too Kurt." sam replies, smiling.

"Give me a hug then." Sam laughs and complies, wrapping his arms around Kurt. "Do I see alcohol?" This draws another laugh from the blonde.

"You do. Consider it a late housewarming gift." He says, holding up the bottle of wine.

"I like him, Rach. We're keeping him." The timer goes off for the pasta, interrupting out laughter, and I quickly turn it off before draining the pasta and adding it to the sauce.

"And voila! Dinner is served." A stomping echoes around the loft, making Kurt and I laugh. Santana appears in the kitchen.

"Grubs up?"

"Yeah it is, and keep your paws off. You don't get to serve yourself this time." Kurt replies, pulling four bowls out of the cupboard.

"That was one time Kurt. I was really hungry." Sam looks at me, face scrunched in confusion.

"You're always hungry. How you stay so skinny astound me." I say, jumping into the conversation.

"Good genes." She replies, smirking. She looks past me, finally noticing the boy behind me. "Sam." She says, nodding at him before leaning across Kurt and grabbing a bowl full of pasta.

After eating, we all settle down in the living room. Kurt slides a disc into the DVD player,and starts it, before turning around and settling down next to me on the sofa. I am between him and Sam on the sofa, and Santana is sprawled across the armchair.

"So..." I begin, as adverts begin to come up on the screen. "What are we watching?" Kurt looks at me guiltily and I feel a sense of dread seep into me. "You didn't." I state, disbelievingly. I hear Santana scoff.

"Aww c'mon short stack. Kurt got it for me and I haven't had time to watch it with him yet. You know how busy we've both been." A new horror film had come out recently, and Santana hadn't been able to watch it in the cinema, so Kurt bought it for her on DVD. They had been planning on watching it for a while, but had both been busy. "Beside, you can cuddle with trouty mouth over there since he's your new bestie."

I blush slightly at the implications, but I know that Santana is as stubborn as I am, meaning I won't be able to change her mind about this.

"Fine." Santana smirks. "_But_ after this we watch two musicals." The smirk becomes a groan.

"One." I sigh.

"Fine, _one_."

"Great, now shut up, the film's starting."

The film ends up being a gory horror film of massive proportion. Currently, I am holding Sam's hand in a tight iron grip, and burying my face in the crook of his neck at every sight of gore. Meaning near constantly.

Santana laughs, so I chance a glance back up at the screen, regretting it instantly. I whimper as I turn back to Sam, hiding my eyes from the film.

"You're such a wimp Berry, it isn't even that bad." Santana teases, mirth evident in her voice.

"Not that bad?!" I croak, as I flick my eyes to the screen and see another character being brutally eaten by a zombie.

"Leave her alone, San." Kurt says, not taking his eyes off of the screen. Santana scoffed but said no more. Sam gently prised his hand from my grip, before stretching his arm over my shoulders and pulling me into him.

"There's only 20 minutes left, Rach." He mumbles, squeezing my shoulder encouragingly. I sigh and snuggle into his comforting heat, the wine we drank earlier allowing me to be bold. Where there was previously the brutal sounds of the horror film, my ears are now filled by the calming beat of Sam's heartbeat, and soon, I find myself drifting away to sleep.

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**Any reviews are welcome and will motivate me to write more :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry for the shortness of this chapter, but I wanted to give you guys something and I've had a bit of a block when it comes to this. Also, this is unbeta-d so I apologise in advance for any mistakes.**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Glee then I would have a better life.**

* * *

"Should we wake them up?" I heard someone whisper. I didn't want to get up yet, so I snuggled back into the warm blanket that was surrounding me.

"No, they look so cute. I wanna take a picture." Says a second voice, and I hear a faint click then a small giggle. "Adorable."

"I don't like it." The first voice grumbles.

"You don't like anything." Replied the other, before adding after a pause, "Except Brittany. C'mon, I'll whip up some breakfast."

"I want coffee." My blanket groaned and tightened. With a jolt I realised that it wasn't a blanket, it was a person.

_Sam._

Why didn't he get up after I fell asleep? Why didn't anyone wake me up? Questions like these swarm through my head as I gently prise the barista's arms from around my waist and stand up, heading to the kitchen. Kurt is pouring coffee into two mugs on the counter, and Santana is pouring some cereal into a bowl.

"One half of the couple is up." Kurt says teasingly, winking at me in an over-exaggerated way. I roll my eyes at him and run a hand through my hair, attempting to to tame it. "Coffee?" He asks, and I nod my head pulling some bread out and putting it the toaster. I sunk down on a stool by the counter and kurt handed me a coffee.

"Thanks." I murmur, before taking an enormous gulp of the dark liquid. I hear footsteps from behind me, and turn to see Sam blearily entering the kitchen. His shirt and jeans are riddled with creases, and his thick blonde hair is messy and sticking up in multiple directions. I continue watching as he raises and arm to his face and rubs his palm into his eyes in an attempt to wake himself up.

"Morning sleepyhead." Kurt says, pouring another mug of coffee and pushing it towards Sam. "How d'you take your coffee?" Sam shrugs noncommittally and reaches for the mug, draining it. He leans across me to grab the jug of coffee and refill his mug.

"Thanks." He says, his voice low and gravelly. He takes the seat next to me, and swirls the coffee in the mug. "Do you guys have anything planned for today?" He asks.

"I have rehearsals for the play we're doing." I say, looking towards Kurt.

"Yeah, but they finish early today, right?" Kurt replies.

"Yes, but Kurt and I will still be busy until around three." The blonde boy nods, a small frown on his face. "Oh, we have to leave soon, right, Kurt?"

"Yeah, you should shower." I nod, finishing my coffee, and heading towards the bathroom. "Be quick, Rach." I acknowledge him with a wave over my shoulder.

* * *

After my shower I quickly change into a grey skirt, long sleeved white shirt, and pull a warm yellow hat over my braided hair. I put my script in my bag along with a pair of legging, just in case we start choreographing today. Shouldering the bag, I head back into the kitchen. I immediately notice that Sam has disappeared.

"Where's Sam?" I ask the remaining two in the room. Santana, whose mouth is full of cereal, shrugs her shoulders before returning to her meal. I turn my gaze expectantly towards Kurt, who looks up from the sink - where he is washing the breakfast dishes - before answering.

"You just missed him." He states, pulling a now clean mug out of the sink and placing it on the rack. "He said that he had some work to get done and it would probably take him a while." I nod, accepting the answer. NYU is a good school, I would be surprised if Sam didn't have a lot of homework to get done, however, I can't help but feel a little disappointed that I didn't even get to say goodbye to him. Quickly, I whip my phone from the pocket of my bag and send off a text to him.

'**Thanks for saying goodbye - R'**

His reply is almost immediate; '**I remembered about the essay I have due in tomorrow. Sorry for rushing out, I really need to get this done, though - S'**

'**Have fun working :P - R'**

'**Have fun rehearsing :) - S'**

'**Oh I will, it's kinda my thing ;) - R'**

'**I know Broadway. I really need to get started though, so try not to distract me ;) - S'**

'**Okay Sam, see you xx - R'**

"Berry, stop sexting." Santana says, laughing as I quickly switch off my phone and look up, stuttering in my surprise at being pulled back into reality, away from the conversation with Sam.

"Was it Sam?" Kurt asks, smirking at my wide eyed response. "Oh it _was_."

"It- we- I-" I trip over my words, before taking a deep breath to calm myself. "I was just telling him off for leaving without saying goodbye to me."

"Looks like someone's gonna be in the dog house tonight." Santana murmurs, and I hear Kurt burst out in a fit of giggles, which he- unsuccessfully- tries to smother. Eventually, his laughter subsides- he seems to sober up quite significantly upon his sight of my glare- and he continues.

"Rach, we should go."

"Obviously, they can't well start without their _star_."

* * *

Rehearsals so far today have been unforgiving.

I'm sat cross-legged on the stage, with pages of my script spread out in front of me and a pen in my hand as I annotate my script with the direction from earlier. Everyone is having a quick break for lunch, but I was too busy dancing to write these notes in before now, so I'm still working. A shadow falls across my work, and I hear someone cough from behind me. I turn to scold them for distracting me, but the words get stuck in my throat when I am met with a familiar blue gaze.

"Well hey, Broadway, how's work going?" He asks with a smile, sinking to the floor next to me, his long legs causing his feet to dangle off of the edge of the stage.

"It's going great Sam. Not to be rude or anything, because that is something that I've always strived not to do after my treatment in high school, and I could never put another person through that because it..." I trail off, my gaze dropping guiltily to the ground, and embarrassed blush covering my cheeks. "Sorry, I was rambling, wasn't I?" Sam laughs.

"No need to apologise, Rach, it was cute." My blush darkens, and I continue to stare at the ground. He clears his throat, and I glance up at his face quickly, noticing a slight pink tinge across his cheeks as well. "So, um, what were you going to say?"

"I- um." I clear my throat again- _why is it so difficult to just talk to him?!_ "It's just that Kurt said that you had an essay to do and that was why you had to leave early- I still haven't forgiven you for not saying goodbye, by the way- so I was wondering why you were here if you still needed to finish that...?"

"I just had to make sure I finished it, and then I realised after I got home that I had less to do then I had originally planned so I texted Kurt to ask where you two were and if you wanted coffee." He raises his hands and I realise for the first time that he was had three cups of coffee held within a small cardboard holder. "I didn't make it, so I can't vouch for it's deliciousness." He adds with a small smirk. I feel my lips tilt up into a small smile, which quickly become a wide grin.

"Thanks Sam." I reply warmly, taking a huge gulp of the coffee he hands to me. "Rehearsals have been pretty tiring so far."

"They can't be that hard for you, I mean- you are Rachel, Broadway extraordinaire, singing since birth Berry." He smiles, nudging me with his shoulder, causing me to burst out in a fit of giggles. Noticing he has left the coffee beside him on the stage, I place mine down as well and reach over, pulling him into a hug. "Should I get a picture of the time _the_ Rachel Berry hugged me as a future claim to fame?" He teases. My face is buried in his neck as the giggling becomes full blown laughter.

I don't let myself think about what this position must look like to others.

Gently, I extricate myself from his arms.

"Thanks again, Sam."

"For what? The coffee? Because really, it's no big-"

"I mean for everything. You're a really good guy." I say, honesty filling my voice. Even after all these years, it feels weird to have people care about me, or treat me with kindness. I guess High School really scarred me.

"Like I said, Rach, it's no biggie. I like you. You being happy is a good enough thank you for me, but really, you should stop being surprised when I do nice things for you." He smirks teasingly, but his eyes are filled with a warmth. The look in his eyes sets off butterflies in my stomach, but I push down the feeling. '_Friends_' I remind myself. "Anyway, I think your director is giving me the evils, so I'll give Kurt his coffee and go. Text me later, yeah?"

I nod. "Yeah, sounds great. I'll see you monday." He nods and smiles, which I only have return, as my mind is now filled with questions about how I feel about him.

I'm so lost in my thoughts that I don't notice someone come up behind me until they plop down on the stage next to me. Startled, I jump slightly, almost spilling my coffee. It's Adam, the son of the director. He's a massive flirt who thinks that anyone would be lucky to be with him, and he- quite unfortunately- seems to have his eye on me.

"Hey Rach." The nickname, which sounds so cute and kind coming from a certain blonde haired boy, sounds lecherous from this guy. "Was that your _boyfriend_?"

"That's none of your business, Adam. I would appreciate it if you left me alone. I haven't finished my notes yet." I reply as coolly as I can, when my mind is screaming for me to run away from this creepy stalker.

"You didn't mind when Blondie did it." I glare at him (copying the look I remember so well from my days in McKinley), and he cowers back slightly in surprise, before recollecting himself, and smirking at me again. "Well, when you want to have some _real_ fun, give me a call, yeah?" I snort (something he ignores) and he saunters off back towards his father.

I shiver as soon as his back is turned. When is he going to understand that I'm just not interested?

"Rae?" I jump again.

"Goddamnit can everyone stop jumping me?!" I nearly yell at kurt, bringing one hand up to clutch at my rapidly beating heart. Composing myself, I start again. "Kurt, what is it?" Kurt smirks at me, doing an imitation of the way I jumped. "You be quiet. You would react like that if you had someone like _Adam_ creeping on you."

"You should report him."

"And say what? '_Mr Director your son is flirting with me too much, get rid of him please-and-thank-you_'? Yeah, I can see that going down well."

"Well that's part of the reason I came over here." I raise an eyebrow. "The other being gossip." I roll my eyes- _of course_. "Y'know, you and Sam looked awfully chummy over here earlier."

Oh god.

* * *

**Thanks for reading... Hope you enjoyed it ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Here it is, Chaper 3! Sorry it took so long to get this one out, I had a bit of writers block, then Iwrote most of this in the past two days. In my defense, I'm on holiday now, and the place has wifi, which means I could get this out to you asap. As always, it's unbeta-d, so the mistakes are mine. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

"C'mon Rach." He teases, nudging me with his shoulder. "You need to branch out."

"No." I say, resolutely. He frowns, jutting his lower lip out and pouting at me. "Oh no. You don't get to do that." I exclaim shaking my head at him. "Saaaaaam." I groan, drawing out the 'a'. The pouting intensifies.

_Damnit._

"Okay fine." I finally reply, perhaps too loudly based on the odd looks I was receiving from the other customers in the cafe. Immediately the pout slides away from his face, a beaming smile replacing it, lighting up his features. "One day I'm going to be immune to your pout." I murmur, a note to self of sorts, and he chuckles.

"Okay Rach, sure you are." He says, winking at me. "Can you grab us a table while I order the drinks?" Nodding, I turn towards the back of the cafe, trying to locate an empty table for two.

A few minutes later, Sam slides down on the bench next to me, as the one opposite is taken up by our bags. He carefully places a steaming mug in front of me, which I stare at dubiously. I take a cautious sniff. I suppose it doesn't smell _too_ bad.

"What is... this?" I ask, gesturing at the beverage. Sam chuckles at my hesitance.

"It's a drink." I narrow my eyes at him. "Try it, and then maybe I'll tell you about it." He see's that I am still reluctant. "Oh c'mon Rach, it's not going to kill ya'." I sigh, giving in again.

"Fine." I say, raising the mug towards my mouth, then I suddenly stop. "_But_, if it turns out that I am deathly allergic to something in this, then you are paying for my medical bills."

"Okay." Sam agrees easily, smirking at me.

"_And_, if anything in this is not vegan, I am never going to talk to you again."

"It's all vegan. I'm not stupid, Rach." I stick my hand out for him to shake.

"Swear."

"Fuck." He laughs and I glare at him. "Fine." He adds easily, before setting his face in a somber fashion, acting as though he is under oath. "I, Sam Evans, swear that I will pay for any medical bills that may or may not happen as a result of you drinking this mysterious beverage - which is cooling down, so you better drink it quickly." He replies, taking my spare hand and shaking it, his tone teasing but his face entirely serious.

"And...?" I prod.

"And I swear that there are no animal products in the drink - it is _entirely_ vegan friendly." Finally I allow a smile to grace my features.

"Perfect." I finally raise the mug to my lips and take a sip. "It's good!" I exclaim, not bothering to hide my surprise.

"I can't believe you didn't trust me." He replies, pouting slightly.

"Stop with the pouting!"

"You can't make me." His tone is reminiscent of a stroppy toddler.

"Is that so?" I throw back, deciding to continue with the light teasing between us.

"Did you just _flick_ me?!" Laughing, I stick my tongue out at him. Then I notice his pout turn into a smirk, and his gaze become mischievous.

"Uh..." Oh no.

I'm _trapped_.

His hand reaches out towards me, and his fingers catch my sides. I squeak, jumping along the bench in an attempt to distance myself from him.

He does it again, but this time I can't stop the laughter that bubbles up and out of me.

"S-Stop it." I manage to get out, my words jumping as he continues his assault on my sides.

"Admit that I was right."

"N-Never!" I protest snapping my arms down to my sides, trying to protect myself.

"C'mon Rachie, give in." He teases, his fingers still attacking my sides. "You know you can't escape me."

He continues to tickle me, and soon my sides are aching and I have to concede. "Okay!" This makes him pause.

"Okay, what?"

"You were right." He smirks at me, and pulls back.

"I was right." He repeats, smiling. "You remember that next time I offer you something to try. Especially if _I'm_ paying for it." I roll my eyes at him, but smile anyway, reaching for my cup again.

"What is this anyway?" I ask, taking another sip of the liquid- which has now cooled down quite considerably.

"Tea." I motion for him to expand upon this answer. "Earl grey tea with lemon juice." I nod thoughtfully as I drink more of the tea. Sam settles down beside me again, picking up his coffee and drinking it as well.

The bell on the door rings again, and I glance up to see if it's anyone I know.

_Oh no_. Sam tenses and looks at me, before following my gaze to the newcomer. _Why him?_

"Who's that?" He asks me quietly, his eyes fixed upon the cause of my worries.

"Brody." I whisper. "An ex of mine." Sam's shoulders are bunched together, his eyes dark. Suddenly Brody turns from the counter, his eyes coming into contact with mine. A small smile breaks out on his face and he begins to walk over towards us. "No."

"What do you want me to do?" Sam asks, his voice still hushed. My mind is scrambling for a plan.

"I- Uh." _C'mon Rachel, think! What should I do?_ "Just- quickly, Sam, put your arm around my shoulders." Sam's eyes are wide as he finally turns to look at me.

"Really?" I nod my head frantically, and he carefully lifts his arm, draping it over my shoulders just as Brody reaches our table.

"Hey Rachel." Brody greets as he comes to a stop in front of us, pointedly ignoring Sam's presence.

"Hello Brody." I reply cooly, leaning into Sam for comfort.

"And who's this?" He asks when he realises I am not going to add anything else, nodding towards the blonde boy at my side.

"Brody, This is Sam." _Am I really going to say this?_ "My boyfriend." Sam's arm tightens around my shoulder, and I know that he is surprised, but it doesn't show on his face.

"Hello." Sam speaks quietly, barely glancing at Brody before looking back down at me again.

"Are you two serious?" He asks, his voice tight, as though he is trying to hold back anger. _Is he seriously asking me that? He can't honestly think that-_

"She's not interested in your STD's." _Wait... What?_ "Take your coffee and go." They glare at each other, but eventually Brody concedes, swivelling on his heel and exiting the cafe.

"Sam, that was-" _Hot? _"-unnecessary." _But still hot, right? _He opens his mouth to talk, but I cut him off. "And how did you know about him?"

"Kurt told Blaine. Blaine told me." I nod, accepting his story. He still hasn't removed his arm from my shoulders, and I exhale deeply, leaning further into his comforting warmth. _When did he become 'comforting'?_

"Thanks Sam." The blonde boy squeezes my shoulders.

"Anytime Broadway." I sigh.

"He thinks that I'm just going to forget about it and forgive him."

"You won't though." He states, before pausing, and tilting his head down to look at me. "You won't, right?" Immediately I shake my head.

"No." He looks slightly relieved. "Of course I'm not, Sam. Why would you think that?" I'm slightly offended that he thinks I would jump back into Brody's arms, especially knowing what he had put me through.

"I- No! I didn't mean it like that Rachel!" He exclaims, his tone worried. "I just- I'm sorry, it wasn't supposed to-"

"It's okay Sam, I know you didn't." I say calmly, interrupting his ramblings. "It's just that Santana seems to have gotten the idea that I can't look after myself and she keeps trying to step into my love life. I understand that she is just trying to be a good friend, but I am an adult now and I can take care of myself."

"Okay Rach, I know. Do you want another tea before we leave?" I smile and accept his attempt to change the subject. I hum playfully, stroking my chin between my thumb and forefinger, as though I am seriously contemplating my response.

"I think I might go for my usual this time, nice as the tea is. I need my caffeine fix." I smile brightly at him, and he returns it with his signature crooked smirk.

"One chai latte coming right up, Broadway." He replies with a wink, getting up from our table and heading up to the counter to order our drinks.

I shiver as he leaves, missing the comforting heat I had quickly grown used to at the table. We fit together so well, my head was just the right height to lean on his shoulder, and now he had gone to buy me my favourite drink. It just felt so domesticated. _As if he was my boyfriend._

_No._ That was just an act.

It _was_ just and act... right?

* * *

"I think he has a crush on you."

"Kurt-"

"No, Rach, hear me out." _Like I could do anything to stop him_. "All of the signs are there." _Like what? Am I missing something here?_ "You two are so touchy feely with each other."

"He does that with-"

"Everyone? I don't think so. That side of him is _all_ for you sweet cheeks." I pout at the nickname. "Deal with it. _Hey_, that's another thing. That nickname he has for you. _Broadway_. You never complain about it. You _hate _nicknames."

"It's sweet." I protest, but Kurt is having none of it.

"And mine aren't? 'Sweet cheeks' even has the _word_ sweet in it." He sighs in an exaggerated way, and I know that this means that he isn't really offended. "And last week during the movie, you two were _all over _each other. You slept together for god's sake!"

"Wait, no we-"

"Okay, so you didn't have sex-"

"Kurt!"

"-but you were practically on top of the poor guy, Rach." He exclaims, throwing his arms up in the air in exasperation. "I mean, _look_!" He thrusts his phone in my direction, a picture opened on the screen.

I take the phone from him, looking closer at the image. It's a picture of me. And _Sam_. It's from the morning after the movie night, when we woke up together. The blonde boy is pressed up against the side of the couch, leaning back against the cushions, but his head is tilted forwards, facing me. I am curled up against him, my head pressed into the crook of his neck, my legs tangled with his, my hand entwined with his as it rests against my waist.

_I hadn't realised we had looked so-_

"Intimate?" Kurt prods, breaking my train of thought. Wait, how did he know I was thinking that? At my blank look, Kurt laughs. "You were speaking out loud, sweetie." _Damn_. "You two look more couply than Blaine and I, and _that's_ saying something." I feel my cheeks heating up, and I know that I must be blushing.

"I'm just not-" I begin, trying to defend myself.

"I'm not saying you should just jump him." His look turns thoughtful. "But he is hot, and he likes you, so I'm sure he wouldn't _mind_-" Apparently I wasn't blushing enough. He starts laughing ferociously.

"Kurt! I'm not saying that I wouldn't, y'know-" _Jump him? Stop it!_ "-be _open_ to that, but I need some time to get over you know who."

"Voldemort?" Kurt teases.

"Oh shut up." I retaliate, trying (in vain) to hide my smirk at his lame (but admittedly quite funny) joke.

"I understand and all that, but this is _Sam_. We know Sam. He isn't going to hurt you." Then, as an afterthought. "And if he does we could always sic Santana to him." I giggle at the image of a rabid Santana chasing a terrified Sam around the bustling streets of New York.

"I know that, it's just-" Kurt interrupts me _again_.

"Look, I'm not saying that you have to decide now, but if you really can't see yourself letting him in, then you should stop giving him breadcrumbs." I raise my eyebrow at this. "Making him pretend to be your boyfriend, cuddling with each other at every opportunity, et cetera, et cetera."

"I need to think about this Kurt." He nods understandingly.

"Okay, Rach. I'm here if you want to talk, though." Nodding, I turn away and head towards my bedroom.

So apparently Sam has a crush on me. According to Kurt- that is. Is that such a bad thing. Obviously I still need time, but if Sam's willing to wait- I mean, he's a nice guy. And he is pretty hot. And he always buys me coffee. And he's really nice to me all the time. And his lips are so-

_I'm in trouble, aren't I?_

* * *

**Any reviews and favourites keep me motivated to write more, whichis what you want... right? **

**Thanks for reading.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry that I'm being so slow with the updating, I have exams coming up and that means I'm quite busy :/ BUT I have finally gotten around to writing up a plan for upcoming chapters, so hopefully I should be able to update a bit more regularly. I am planning on this fic having at most 10 chapters (I have up to 8 planned) but we'll see how the characters develop as I write.**

**No beta, so all mistakes are mine. And sorry for it being such a short chapter.**

**I dont own glee. **

* * *

"This is amazing." I moan in ecstasy. "How did you find this place?" I question, raising another forkful of the meal to my mouth.

Sam has brought me to a quait vegan restaurant that his friend had recommended- saying that is was some of the best vegan food he had come by- and, having ordered and tasted one of the many meals available, I find myself inclined to agree with this friend. I nod along to his story as he explains how he knows the friend, and I think he said something about them being vegan as well. As you can see, I am being distracted by the food in front of me. It's _delicious_.

"Sam, you have to try some of this." I exclaim, clumping some more of the food onto my fork and holding it aloft as an offering to him. He smiles in thanks and his mouth clamps over the food, before pulling back with a grin.

"You're right Rach, that is yummy, _but_ I still think mine is better." He says teasingly, leaning further back in his seat to watch my reaction.

"Well I think that you have to prove that." I reply, deciding to keep with the theme.

"I have." He replies, smirking at me. "I have sampled _both _of the dishes, and I have made the executive decision that mine is far better."

"You're biased."

"So are you."

"C'mon Sam, are you going to make me ask?"

"Ask for what, Broadway."

"Let me taste the food."

"You _have_ food."

"But I want to try _yours_."

"Ask nicely and then I'll think about it." He isn't going to give in.

"You're mean." I state, pouting, but he simply raises his eyebrow at me. _Damn_. I exhale in defeat. "_Fine_. Sam may I please try some of your food."

"Of course you can Rach, thanks for asking politely." Chuckling, he winks at me before raising his fork towards me. I lean forward and eat the food off of his fork, humming in approval. He looks at me, raising his eyebrow again. _Stop doing that!_ "So...? Your verdict, Broadway?"

"It was-" But I'm cut off by another voice- one that definitely isn't Sam's either- and so I turn and find myself looking at a beaming waitress.

"Sorry! I just came over to say that I thought you two were just the most adorable couple, with the whole feeding each other and the way you two-" Wait... _Couple?_ No. I quickly cut her off, in much the same way as she did me.

"Um, we're not dating." I say smiling, before turning to look at Sam, but I realise he isn't smiling. He's frowning, but he also looks kind of sad. _Sad? Why is he sad?_ "We're just friends." I add, hoping to clear up the waitress' mistake and to appease Sam, which is hard as I don't know _why_ he is sad. My response doesn't appear to cheer Sam up, but it has the desired effect upon the waitress, who is immediately apologetic.

"I'm _so_ sorry, I just assumed because you two were looking at each other so intensely and you kept having these cute little moments-"

_How long was she staring at us for?_

This time it is Sam who interrupts, with a sharp 'Could we have the bill please?', and the waitress is on her way again. Sam still isn't looking at me, but when the bill arrives, he quickly snatches it up, and places enough money to pay for it, before standing up.

Together we leave the restaurant, and he hails a cab. We sit in the back of the cab making small talk about the food and he promises to call me as I exit the cab. Waving goodbye, I enter the building and walk up the stairs to the apartment.

_Why did that woman think that we were a couple?_

She had said something about us feeding each other, but that was just part of our friendship, I mean, I just wanted him to try the food. Then he started teasing me, and then I finally convinced him to let me try some, but then we got interrupted by that waitress, and after I cleared things up Sam seemed kind of sad.

_Why was he sad?_

Maybe Santana will know.

* * *

"I'm worried about you." Santana states cooly, ignoring my question as to why Sam may be upset.

Since Santana had moved to New York and into our apartment, her and I had become very close, especially after what had happened with-

Well, especially after what had happened. She became my confidante of sorts; the one I go to for advice, which seems silly, as she's had a lot of relationship issues herself. I trust her, deeply, which must sound strange after all that she put me through during high school, but I have decided that the past is the past, and that she has changed.

The nicknames, however, seem to have stuck, but I think that they are more affectionate than offensive now. I _hope_.

"What? Why?" I exclaim, confused as to where she's coming from. What could be worrying her? Her advice to me has always been sound, however, so I decide to hear her out rather than ramble.

"You're jumping into it with Sam." I wait for her to expand upon this. "You're going on these little dates, spending a hell of a lot of time together, you're _constantly_ texting each other, and-"

"Are you _jealous?_" I snap back, this being the only motive I can see behind these accusations. She did date the guy at some point, although I am pretty sure she's into exclusively women now.

"I'm _worried _Rach!" I raise an eyebrow at this exclamation. "Can't you _see_? You're throwing yourself at Sam because you're convinced that he isn't going to hurt you, because you _know_ him. You haven't seen him in years. He's practically a stranger to you."

"I'm not- We aren't." I take a breath as an attempt to try and compose myself. "You don't think he would... right?" Santana sighs, her aggressive stance softening slightly as she move towards me, looping an arm around my waist and guiding me towards the sofa.

We sit down.

She sighs again, squeezing my waist comfortingly.

"Rach." She breathes gently. "I don't _know_, okay? I just don't want you to get hurt again, that's all. I'm just worried that you're putting too much trust in a guy that we haven't seen or heard from in nearly three years." Leaning closer to her and resting my head against her shoulder, I nod, closing my eyes. "I just think that you two should slow down with this thing- _whatever_ it is- that you two are doing."

"I get that San. I'm-" I pause, trying to figure out the right words to say. "I'm glad I have you now. You _and _Kurt."

"You'll always have me, Rae." She intones softly, kissing the top of my head. "I mean, as long as you don't start wearing argyle again, because I don't know if I can be associated with someone who- _oi!_" She yelps when I poke her in the side, giggling. "Oh you think that's funny, do ya' squirt?" Oops, I think I woke the monster. "I'll show you funny!"

And with that, she pounces on me, fingers attacking my sides.

After we've calmed down, her gaze slowly begins to turn serious again.

"If you're serious about him, and you trust him, then I'll let it be Rach, but be careful. Please." Then, almost as an afterthought. "I think you should tell him."

"What?!" I splutter incoherently. "No!" I finally manage to release the word. Santana looks at me quizzically.

"Why not, Rach? You trust him, right?"

Nodding vehemently, I reply. "I do, it's just, I feel so stupid about it, and I don't want him to think I'm weak and naïve, or maybe he'll realise that I'm too damaged and that it isn't worth it." my head is hung low as I consider these possibilities, the mere idea of them making me sad beyond belief.

"I think it would be good for him to know. I mean, you would want to know if something like that had happened to him... Right?"

Immediately I am worried. Had something like this ever happened to Sam? Santana brings me out of my trance.

"Just think about it, okay Rach?"

"Okay San."

"I need to watch a movie after all of this emotional talk." She states, standing up and turning the Tv on. "Whaddya fancy?"

* * *

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